Chiropractic Adjustment - Neck, Back, Spine, Knee & Body
Chiropractic adjustment is a procedure in which trained specialists (chiropractors) use their hands or a small instrument to apply a controlled, sudden force to a spinal joint. The goal of this procedure, also known as spinal manipulation, is to improve spinal motion and improve your body's physical function.
Why would someone need a Chiropractic Adjustment?
We have many joints in our back and body and just like a rusted door they get "stuck". Some people have stuck joints that cause problems elsewhere in the body for example one hip joint can be struck that increases loading and pain in the low back. Many people have headaches and migraines because of the problems in the neck, and their neck doesn't always hurt. Some people have one leg that is shorter than the other causing scoliosis (a twisted up spine) and as a result have neck pain. There are many examples of such patterns in the body. This is why after a detailed examination and correction of joint movement the body can start doing what it was made to do. Your body was made to heal, and when all interference are taken away health is unstoppable!
What is a chiropractic adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment is a correction of spine and joint movement and position. An adjustment also affects the nearby nerves that send signals to our spinal cord and brain (1,2,3) So imagine you can do something to correct how your brain works! Some joints get stuck and cause problems in the body as described above. Then those joints cause inflammation (swelling like in a twisted ankle) and put pressure on the nearby nerves. By correcting those motion segments (joints) the nervous system can function at its optimal capacity. As I like to say "your body was made to heal, and when all interference are taken away health is unstoppable!"
Who needs an a chiropractic adjustment?
Who needs to visit a dentist? Is it people who have cavities or everyone who has teeth? How often does your dentist recommend you have a professional teeth cleaning? As you can see the answers to these questions seem obvious to most of us, but it was not always this way. The same can be applied to every field of medicine and health. Chiropractors are spine and joint specialists. Only chiropractors are trained to correct the spine with a chiropractic adjustment that frees up your body to full health and healing potential. So the short answer is, everybody needs to be evaluated by a chiropractor to know the health of their spine.
How soon can I expect to see improvement?
Most patient see improvement in the first two weeks of care. I usually tell patients that if you are not noticeably better in the first two weeks of care then we will change the treatment approach, order imaging, or refer you for additional care that your body might need to get better. I can say very confidently that when I think I can help a patient, most of the time they see it in the first two weeks. Now if your problem was there longer than 6 months, you had a whiplash injury in a car accident, or you have a disc herniation the results might be more gradual.
Can chiropractic provide instant relief of pain?
I have many patients that come in unable to bend down, lift more than a cup, or sit more than five minutes due to sharp severe pain. And usually one adjustment is enough for them to feel much better. And studies confirm my personal observations (7) so much so that the American College of Physicians endorses spinal manipulation as one of only two therapies with evidence of effectiveness for the management of acute low back pain. Also with current opioid crisis and other pain medication complications, chiropractic is the obvious first choice.
Has there been any good studies showing chiropractic works?
You might see on the internet statements that chiropractic has not been tested in medical studies. Although it might have been true before the 2000s, right now the picture is much different. One of first studies published supporting chiropractic care in the treatment was done by orthopaedic surgeons (Martin Gargan and Gordon Bannister) who joined forces with a chiropractor (4). That was in 1966 and they specifically wanted to see if chiropractic was effective in treating late whiplash. Late or chronic whiplash is a neck injury from a car accident that becomes long lasting and does not go away on its own. In this study chiropractic care was effective in 93% of cases. In a subsequent study, the authors classified the 93 patients into three groups with increasing severity of symptoms. Group 3 was described as having an "unusual complex of symptoms" that included blackouts, visual disturbance, nausea, vomiting, chest pain. Following treatment, improvement was noted in 72% of the patients in Group 1, 94% of the patients in Group 2, and 27% of Group 3. I have seen many patients with visual problems, chest pain, nausea and vomiting they had after a car accident and got completely better.
Chiropractic has also been put up against other therapies in medical studies and won. Their is something in the medical literature known as the evidence hierarchy. That is to show that a good study showing some improvement means much more than one amazing story a single patient experience. The most powerful research on the hierarchy is a meta-analysts. One of those studies looking at the efficacy of physiotherapy or chiropractic care for the treatment of neck pain (5). In a long term study chiropractic was compared to acupuncture and medical pain intervention and still chiropractic had better results (6). That is not to say that other interventions don not work or should not be performed. Each intervention has its place and time but chiropractic is an obvious choice when it comes to getting better after a car accident, pain, or any other spine complaint.
What part of the body can be treated with a chiropractic adjustment?
The short answer is the whole body! You have joints or connections of bones that move in your neck, back, spine, shoulders, hips, knees and so on. Most people think of chiropractic when they have low back pain but it also improves shoulder mobility, hip movement, the function of the meniscus in the knee and more. Any joint in the body can be hurt, and any joint can be "stuck" and will benefit when proper movement is restored.
References
- Haavik H, Murphy B. The role of spinal manipulation in addressing disordered sensorimotor integration and altered motor control. J Electromyogr Kines. October 2012 2012;22( 5): 768-776.
- Haavik Taylor H, Holt K, Murphy B. Exploring the neuromodulatory effects of the vertebral subluxation and chiropractic care. Chiropractic Journal of Australia. 2010;40
- Haavik Taylor H, Murphy B. Cervical spine manipulation alters sensorimotor integration: A somatosensory evoked potential study. Clin Neurophysiol. 2007;118( 2): 391-402
- Woodward MN, Cook JCH, Gargan MF, Bannister GC: Chiropractic treatment of chronic whiplash injuries. Injury 27:643-645, 1996
- Kjellman GV, Skargren EI, Oberg BE. A critical analysis of randomized clinical trials on neck pain and treatment efficacy. A review of the literature. Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 31:139-152, 1999
What if I have never had a massage? What to expect.
Complex problems have multiple components, so chances are muscles are a part of the problem and a part of the solution. Everyone can benefit from a massage.
You will not need to read all of the research that exists on massage, but you will feel the different. Patients often say "I did not know how bad it was, until now that my body feels so good". My favorite response was, "I feel like a brand new baby". On your first visit you will receive the following:
- Evaluation (establish what is not working right in your body)
- Therapeutic massage (promote long term healing)
- Home Instructions (what you should do to have lasting results)
